I'm sorry
by Midnight.Black.angel21
Summary: Maybe Hazel isn't entirely at fault for the person she's become. Future!Fic


Disclaimer: I don't own HoO characters.

A/N: Sorry if it seems sad, I just couldn't get the idea out of my head. Hope it's alright.

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Leo almost threw his hammer across the room, he was so startled to hear the knock on his door. It was 11:00 at night, who couldn't wait until tomorrow to see him? The answer occurred to him just as he was about to open the door to his apartment.

"Hazel, I thought you were staying with Nico." Leo said as he let her in.

"So cold Leo. I thought we were friends." Hazel faked a small pout, but stopped when Leo's irritated face broke through the fog in her mind. "Nico's on vacation right now, been gone for a few days, and well, Percy and Annabeth won't open their doors." Hazel threw herself down on the couch, knowing Leo wouldn't object openly.

"You don't have a spare key?" Hazel just snorted in response to Leo.

"What about Jason and Piper?"

"I lost all contact with them." Leo sighed at Hazel's statement. He could see why no one wanted Hazel around right now. The small 19 year old girl was drunk, really drunk, and extremely bitter. It took a long time for Leo to convince her own bother to take her in.

"Well, what do you want?"

"A place to stay for the night."

"That's how you ended up on my couch for months." It was true, the Latino had taken his friend in for a long stretch of time, not having it in him to kick her out.

"So?"

"So, Hazel, I can't afford to have you stay here, with me just giving you almost all of the money I have. I can't afford to take in a drunk who doesn't know where she's going in life. Not to mention, you shouldn't be able to get alcohol, you're only 19." Leo stated, failing miserably at not raising his voice.

Hazel muttered something under her breath.

"What?"

"I'm 20 Leo, I'm freaking 20. Today's my birthday. I need a place to stay just for the night." Hazel yelled, standing up. Her eyes squeezed shut in exasperation and her fists were clenched around her bottle of beer.

"Nico's going to be back tomorrow. I'll be gone in the early morning. You won't have to see me again." She whispered. Leo bit his lip, feeling bad about shouting at his friend. They both stood there, Hazel not looking Leo in the eyes, and a sudden thought occurred to Leo.

"Where have you been staying for the past few nights?" Hazel didn't answer Leo's question, and a fear rose up in him.

"Hazel, where have you been sleeping?"

"The alleys in different streets."

"You know it's dangerous out there! Even for the mortals. You could get mugged, killed, Hazel you could get kidnapped-"

"I know that!" She screamed, cutting Leo off. "But none of my 'friends' care about me enough to take me in."

The two stood there in a furious silence, staring each other down. Neither one looking away from the other's angry gaze. Tears bean to well up in Hazel's eyes, and she broke the silence.

"I don't even know any of you anymore. I can't help it if I was dropped into a world that I know almost nothing about. Frank never helped me understand this country. So much has changed, I didn't know what to do here. I still don't know what to do here. And then everyone I cared about... everyone I loved... they just left me..." The tears came flooding out of Hazel's eyes, but she never broke her gaze. She was sniffing, and shivering, and Leo did remember that she hadn't asked to be like this. All alone.

"Hazel," He sighed, "Give me the bottle."

Hazel shook her head no.

"Hazel, come on." Leo pleaded, grasping the drink with one of his hands. Still she struggled, not letting go of it. They kept on pulling and pulling on the bottle, until Hazel- in a desperate attempt to pull it free -flung it across the room accidentally.

Leo shielded Hazel with his body, as the glass shattered, and shards flew everywhere.

They both stayed in that position for couple of seconds, Hazel ducking and covering her head, and Leo, with his back turned to the mess, hugging Hazel close to him.

"I'm sorry Leo." Hazel whispered, untangling herself from the man. She promptly circled around, until she was behind him.

"What are you-"

"I'm checking for any spots where the glass may have gotten into your skin." Hazel responded, searching for any red spots on his white shirt.

Dozens of little brown pieces of glass had embedded themselves in his shirt.

"Oh gods Leo, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Hazel said, as she began trying to pick out the small bits of glass with her fingers.

"It's alright."

"No, it's not. I just came into your house, drunk, and proceeded to throw a temper tantrum." Hazel was frantically pulling the little shards of glass out of Leo's back and neck, only pausing when he winced.

"Shit." He hissed quietly.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." Hazel was mumbling under her breath, as she pulled the glass out quicker.

"Hazel."

"I'm sorry Leo, really sorry." Seeming not to hear Leo, Hazel carried on mumbling.

"Hazel."

"Sorry, I'll be out in a second when I finish."

"Hazel."

"I'm sorry Leo. So sorry." Hazel muttered as she got the last piece of glass out of Leo's back. Leo turned around, grabbed Hazel's arm, and kissed her.

Gods, he'd wanted to do that for a long time. It was hard to pull away, but he needed to say something to Hazel.

"You didn't choose to be abandoned by everyone. I'm sorry for putting you through that, I never wanted to." Leo said, brushing a lock of hair behind Hazel's ear.

"You didn't abandon me." She whispered softly. And as they kissed the next time, even though it remained unspoken between them, they could feel each other's love. They would never be alone again.


End file.
